Mr. Setya Novanto
Chairperson of the House of Representative
Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR)
Gedung Nusantara III DPR Indonesia, Lt I
Jalan Jenderal Gatot Subroto, Jakarta,
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 571 5311/+ 62 21 5715868
Fax: +62 21 573 1967/+62 21 5715368
Email: set_tu_ketua@dpr.go.id
Dear Mr. Novanto,
Haeril Halim, National – Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday indicted former Papua governor Barnabas Suebu for graft involved in the construction of a hydro power plant project on the Mamberamo River, Papua, in which the state recorded a loss of Rp 43 billion (US$3.2 million).
Alyssa Betts – The situation in the Indonesian province of West Papua is similar to East Timor just before independence, a West Papuan activist has announced at a protest in Darwin.
A group of about 60 people have erected a temporary hut embassy outside Parliament House, calling for West Papuan independence from Indonesia.
Transparency Vanuatu has welcomed Prime Minister Sato Kilman's clarification of his government's position on West Papua's recent bid to become a member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
This comes after scathing criticism from the prime minister over a Transparency article calling for the government to make its position known.
Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – An NGO activist has said Papua needs safe houses as it has quite a high incidence of violence against women and children.
Few cases of violence against women and children can be brought to justice because of the absence of safe houses, she said.
The West Papuan flag, The Morning Star was raised on the 2 July in 1998 on top of a water tower near the harbour in Biak town. Up to seventy-five people gathered beneath it singing songs and holding traditional dances. As the rally continued many more people in the area joined in with numbers reaching up to 500 people.
Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – At least 40 Papuans were arrested on Friday in Fakfak district, West Papua, before holding a thanksgiving ceremony in the secretariat of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) following the recent 20th Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Leaders summit.
Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has denied speculations that it is trying to weaken the influence of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) over Papua after the MSG granted a Papuan resistance group an observer status.
The Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the government had no ulterior motives in its effort to join as the newest member of the MSG.
Andreyka Natalegawa, Jakarta – The admission of Indonesia into the Melanesian Spearhead Group last week has sparked concerns over the future of central government policy in the West Papua region, analysts say.
Ernes B Kakisina, Manokwari (AFP) – Police Chief of West Papua Province, Paulus Waterpauw prohibits people from celebrating the anniversary of the Free Papua Movement.
Archipelago – The high rate of illiteracy in Papua's two provinces has stalled development programs in the region, an official has said.
The head of Papua's Family Welfare and People's Empowerment Agency, Donatus Mote, said on Tuesday that the region's medium-term development plan had faced difficulties caused by illiteracy among local officials.
Jayapura – Manase Agapa, 22, a resident of Ugapuga village, East Kamu district, Dogiai regency, Papua, has been shot dead by an unidentified man while participating in a blockade of Jl. Nabire-Paniai.
Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Patrige Renwarin confirmed on Saturday that Menase had been shot while blockading the road with his friends on Thursday.
NGOs in Vanuatu says the Melanesian Spearhead Group decision not to admit West Papua as a full member, but upgrade Indonesia's membership, is a slap in the face for ni-Vanuatu.
Chiefs and the trade union movement also say they are in shock at last week's decision.
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has commended the Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his government for the steps they are taking to improve conditions in West Papua for its Melanesian population.
Mr Bainimarama commended Mr Widodo and the Indonesian Government while addressing the Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting in Honiara, Solomon Islands yesterday.
Godwin Ligo – The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) has accepted the United Liberal Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) as Observer in the regional organisation on the basis that it represents West Papuans living outside West Papua.
Honiara, Jubi – Indonesian delegation reacted strongly to a speech by the General Secretary of the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) at a meeting of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).
Oktovianus Mote said ULMWP stood before MSG to affirm that the group have fulfilled the requirements demanded by MSG at a meeting in Noumea, New Caledonia in 2013.
Mark Colvin: For the first time a coalition of West Papuan nationalist groups has been given formal diplomatic recognition.
The United Liberation Movement of West Papua has been granted observer status at a regional grouping of Melanesian countries. It happened at the Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders' summit in Solomon Islands.
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua has expressed gratitude for progress made but still intends pursuing full membership of the Melanesia Spearhead Group.
The Pacific sub-regional agency held its summit this week in Solomon Islands and granted observer status to the ULMWP and made Indonesia an associate member.
After new Indonesian president Joko Widodo appointed his self-consciously titled 'working cabinet' late last year, activist Andreas Harsono from Human Rights Watch took calls from no fewer than nine of Jokowi's ministers or their staff. All of them had listened to Jokowi's promises during the election campaign to pay more attention to Papua and West Papua, and wanted to learn more.
Observer status has today been granted to West Papua by the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) sub-regional bloc.
After over 53 years of political struggle for the right to self-determination, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) representing West Papuan, was today granted Observer status by the 20th MSG Leaders summit in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Michael Bachelard's – On a sunlit afternoon in the tiny village of Lolat, I ask a local school teacher, Natani Kobak, what subject he teaches. 'Pancasila,' he replies: the five-point Indonesian state ideology. 'I teach it for the students, but deep down I am not so happy about it'.
Michael Bachelard – Few work harder to advocate for the Papuan people than Victor Mambor. The son of John Mambor, who was a powerful independence leader, Victor has established himself as a robustly independent journalist, the editor of the newspaper Tabloid Jubi, based in coastal city of Jayapura, the capital of Papua province.
The Melanesian Spearhead Group has knocked back West Papua's bid to become a full member of the group, while elevating Indonesia's status.
In a statement, Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, says the United Liberation Movement for West Papua will be given observer status as a "development partner representing the welfare of Melanesian people living outside."
Sydney, Australia – Indonesia has been admitted to a Melanesian intergovernment group, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill announced Thursday, welcoming the move as an important way to strengthen peace and security in the region.
Jakarta – Indonesia has been bumped up to an associate member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), while a pro-independence coalition from West Papua has been granted observer status.
Nic Maclellan, Honiara – In a vibrant cultural display, Solomon Islands dancers, pan pipers and customary presentations welcomed Melanesian Spearhead Group delegations at the official opening of the 20th MSG summit in Honiara.
Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Lawmakers want a guaranteed surrender by members the Free Papua Organization (OPM) as a precondition for giving political support to the government's proposal to pardon political prisoners in Papua.
The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) today at the invitation of the Chair of the MSG Foreign Ministers meeting, Hon. Milner Tozaka, presented a petition containing 55,555 compiled signatures from West Papua to the Melanesian Foreign Ministers in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Seven Papuan political activists have been detained as a result of their peaceful political activities. They have been charged with 'incitement' and could face up to six years' imprisonment. Three of the men have reported being beaten and burnt with cigarettes while in detention.
Michael Bachelard – 'In June last year, seven doctors were sent to this town, but five didn't want to come. In September they tried to send another four and all four went back to Jakarta.'
14 members of a student group have been arrested by police in the Papuan town of Abepura, as they raised funds for a probe into the shooting deaths of fellow students last year.
The shooting in December, at a peaceful rally in Paniai, has led to accusations against police and military for opening fire on uniformed school children.
Jakarta – Indonesian Military Chief General Moeldoko said his institution was considering implementing a policy of having security personnel accompany foreign journalists in Papua to avoid untoward incidents.
"I am considering appointing guards to accompany foreign journalists so we can guide and protect them in case any dangerous situation arises," Moeldoko stated here on Monday.
Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – The House of Representatives has rejected a government proposal to pardon political prisoners in Papua, citing fears that they would go on to inflame separatism in the resource-rich region.
The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) leaders must realise by now that the umbrella organisation, The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has the support of the West Papuan people in its bid for membership of the MSG.
Dylan Amirio, Jakarta – Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi revealed that her ministry had approved eight applications for foreign journalistic visits to resource-rich Papua in the past six months.
In 2014, similar approval was given to 22 requests and only five were turned down.
The West Papuan independence leader, Benny Wenda, says he has still not heard why he was blocked from travelling to the United States a month ago.
In May Mr Wenda was checking in at London's Heathrow Airport when he was taken in for questioning by an official from the US Homeland Security Department, who then revoked his 10-year business visa.
One sunny November school day at a school in Tagime, hundreds of primary and secondary students are outside having a whale of a time. They're playing soccer – a game that ranges over acres and lasts for hours because there's nothing else to do.
Dylan Amirio, Jakarta – Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said the Jokowi government never restricted foreign visitors or journalists from visiting Papua, with 22 foreign applications granted in 2014 alone.
Nic Maclellan, Honiara – Indonesian officials are lobbying for an upgrade to associate membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), while a renewed membership application by a united West Papuan coalition will be discussed at this week's MSG leaders' summit in Solomon Islands.
Jonas Cullwick – The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP)'s Ambassador to the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat, Amatus Douw, is in Port Vila with a petition containing the signatures of 150,000 people of West Papua to present to the Vanuatu Prime Minister, Sato Kilman.
Gaad Piranid Tabuni grew up in a village in the Papuan highlands of Indonesia too remote for any government – colonial Dutch or Indonesian – to maintain a presence. But missionaries lived there, and Tabuni, now one of the most senior public servants in the region, say they made him the man he is.
A Solomon Islands MP has questioned the government's announcement about exploring greater representation of Indonesia in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
About 200 people gathered at a rally in the Solomon Islands capital, Honiara, this afternoon calling on the government to support full membership for West Papua in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
The Solomon Islands will next week host the MSG leaders' summit, where a decision will be made on whether to accept West Papua into the subregional group.
Contact: Patrick Griffith
pgriffith@freedom-now.org
+1 (202) 423-7925
Washington, D.C.: Today, six members of the US House of Representatives sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry raising the continued detention of peaceful activists in Indonesia.
Jayapura, Jubi – Exports from Papua nearly doubled in May, compared to the previous month, the head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Papua Province Didiek Koesbianto said.
"In May, Papua exports increased by 95.99 percent compared to the previous month's total exports, from 106.44 million dollar to 208.61 dollar rupiah," he said in Jayapura on Wednesday (17/6/2015).
The Solomon Islands Government says it will not back the United Liberation Movement for West Papua as a full member of the Melanesian Spearhead Group. But it says it will back observer status to one united group.
A Dutch journalist who has been travelling in Indonesia's Papua region says the depth of local support for a West Papuan application to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group is huge.
Robert Isidorus, Jayapura – A military court in Papua on Wednesday discharged two soldiers and ordered them imprisoned after they were found to have sold ammunition to a separatist militia.
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says Fiji will stand with Indonesia on the West Papua issue. "My stance on West Papua has never changed," he said.
He said that West Papua was under the sovereignty of Indonesia. "We feel for the sovereignty of the people of West Papua but we must also remember that it is under the sovereignty of Indonesia."
Samoa says it will be looking into supporting a West Papua request for membership in the Pacific Islands Forum.
The Samoa Observer reports that Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi made the assurances to the general secretary of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Octovianus Mote last week.